Stories From Around the State

The League of Women Voters of South Carolina is pleased to share continuing progress from the two-year judicial independence and diversity campaign conducted from 2010-2012. On January 24, 2013, a South Carolina House Judiciary panel voted unanimously to advance a bill that would allow the legislature to choose judges from among all candidates deemed qualified by the Judicial Merit Selection Commission (JMSC), rather than limiting the choice only to a slate of three judges sent up by the commission.

This change is one of the top three priorities for the League of Women Voters of South Carolina because: 1) qualified minority candidates are often not chosen for the slate of three judges sent up to the legislature; 2) the JMSC has, in the past, sent up a slate of three with two weaker candidates and a clear frontrunner, thus making a de facto selection; and 3) the policy contributes to the public perception that the process is not transparent-that JMSC "plays favorites" and thereby compromises the ability of the judiciary to be fair and impartial.

Read more about these developments via an Associated Press article on MidlandsConnect.com, the website of Columbia Fox News affiliate, and on Justice at Stake's Gavel Grab blog.

In reviewing states (CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA and WV) that have been affected by Hurricane Sandy we found that most states have not changed their voting procedures. However, some states that were hardest hit have extended hours for registration and early voting.

The League of Women Voters of Florence celebrated women's suffrage on Women's Equality Day by honoring six female judges currently serving in the Florence County judicial system.

"We just want to make people more aware of judicial diversity,"said Frances Elmore, Co-president. Kimberly Cox, agrees. When she became magistrate 22 years ago, Cox was the lone woman among ten men. "It's a good thing to see balance-- period, be it gender, race, religion," she said.

Judges in attendance were presented with LWV "Evolution of Authority" refrigerator magnets by Co-president Hannah Reig.

The cookie and punch reception was held at the Florence County Public Library and open to the public.